Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-05-24
A PROVENCE ROSE.

thought Vance Erskine, as he pressed
forward 10 the crowd. There Was
standing room only"
He had wandered into the music
hall after long, dull day in the bank,
spent in puzzling his brain over &C
counts. He felt sudden longing tor
new experienced passionate I'M
pulse to break through restraint
that had more than once led him in
to thorny ways and perilous paths,
from which he had been glad to come
back to q safe conventionality once
more.
There was young girl singing an
Italian song She was clad in sim
pie white gown. and there was a white
rose in her dusky hair. Her soft, dark
eyes were full of unconscious ycarn-
ing. She aid not see the audience, ap-
parently, but looked away to some
haunting scene. The tender grace OF a
day that was dead embodied her. Err
skine seemed to follow that gaze. His
imagination kindled again. This is
what he saw: 4 rose garden in fair
Provence, that land ofsong and story.
A white mist was curling upward from
it under the sunshine, like curtain it
was lifted, and the fairest scene Err
skine had ever looked upon was
stretched out before his ea.er eyes.
A wilderness OF roses--that was all!
Impossible to describe the riot OF col
or, the wealth OF incense. There was
gray castle in the distance; but
Erskine did not look at that. Neither
did his glance dwell long on the flow
ers, for there was % young girl there
gathering them, and his eyes met those
other eyes, soft and dark, tender us IL
| Southern night, and rested there.
There was tender reserve. almost
sadness, iii the face, and the flush on
the cheeks was not deeper than that
OF the blush rose she held in her hand.
Erskne was not an artist, he was on
ly bank clerk on holiday; but that
! picture was photographed on his soul.
She stood By nIossgrown fountain,
where u wingless dragon spouted up a
silvury stream amid dripping wreaths
OF maiden hair. Huge cypress trees
stood in the background; but in the
illuminated space among the flowers
was this gracious figure in dull blue
gown, that defined the soft curves and
rounded outlines.
What irony OF fate had transplant
ed her from the wilderness ofroses to u
London music-hall? He felt ut once
nm imperative need of knowing the
story.
| The voice scared up like % lark to
meet the sunbeam. A storm of APP
: plause followed, and the young girl
seemed suddenly recalled to the pres
emit. She glanced about timidly and
| bowed slightly. There were no smirks
or bold glances, She glided away
I quietly, and the encore did not bring
her back.
Vance east one glance at the glitter
ing blonde who followed and then he
rushed out of the hall. He astonish-
cd the nearest florist by employing his
purse--not to well filled-lor roses.
Dark, veIvety Jaceueminots and
cream-white blossoms, mingled with
other pink Nd girls blush. in his hur-
ried grasp.
"Ah, halo" said voice near him,
rs he paused at the stage entrance,
wondering vaguely as to what should
be his next step. "Why, Vance, my
boy, are you captive in her train
too2"
"0h, get out" answered Vance. i'm
t.At, IL
pous-looking individual with heavy
rubicund visage and scant hair. Ht
was Il man OF Is, and an authority
on Change. but he had by no means
laid aside the lollies OF youth.
"Bah-tlowers, said Mr. Zachary
Sheldon, looking Mt the roses; "they
would like diamonds better"
Come said Vance, tiercely, rs
tonished Mt the Sudden fire in hi.
heart, mo sneers, Pm not in the mooI
for them
"Well, we won't quarrel" said Shell
don, with a mitthiul laugh. 20
course it's the blonde Lillian"
: unconscious feeling oil relief cam,
into Nance's heart.
"The other one is n poem Rosalia
beautiful Rosalia. Shes flower,
sunbeam--no. too pale for a sunbeam
IA silver moopbeam. She says
At these word Vance regretted hi
bad humor. This man could help him
lie knew the Italian nightingale.
"lsay sheldon. excuseny roughness
: somebody stepped on my corn Jus
now. What does she saw" he asked
eagerly.
, THAT she cannot sing her songs i
d a strange land; that she has lett he
c soul among the rosps All, YOU ras
: cal, see Roses But not Tor th
. blond Lillian"
4 mo; introduce me-" eagerly erie
: Vance, And that was the way it b,
. gan.
J, It was only Zachary sheldon's COZ
/. hdenee IN the supreme power OF none
& that made him underestimate I'll
n Charm OF youth, and eager hop,
ts ana young romance. He ioun
out his mistake when, smitten bevou
=, his power to withstand it, he olIere
= himself and his money bags to the pa
y Italian girl. 1t was rather comicai
r. see the emotion in his fat face, 4
he eleam IN his small, pale eyes.
., Rosalia did not smile. She W;
10 troubedi but the luminous pallor
II, her lovely face was not flushed Wi
ar the palest rose-tint as she declined t
a., favor.
il - can restore you to Italy"
nd SAID. What can Vance Erskine
!. Tor your"
is. "He can bring Italy here" answer